


Imperfect Phoenix

by Spacegaywritings



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Anger, Bruises, Doctors, Eating, F/F, Fencing, Films, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Food mention, Hurt/Comfort, Indirect Self Harm, Outbursts, Perfectionism, Pet Names, bad mindset, foot injury, fracture, they are lesbians harold
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24686134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacegaywritings/pseuds/Spacegaywritings
Summary: Kagami’s perfectionism does not allow for breaks, weaknesses.. When she meets her body’s limits, she is reminded of how much she needs to look out for herself - all thanks to her lovely girlfriend.
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi
Kudos: 57





	Imperfect Phoenix

**Author's Note:**

  * For [milleniumrex](https://archiveofourown.org/users/milleniumrex/gifts).



“Allez!”

Blades clinked together, pieces of cold metal vibrating at one another with the impact of intense swings and advances.  
Opponents approached, yet jumped away from one another like preying ticks. All students of the fencing class were engaged in heated battles. Much like these two friends - Kagami and Adrien, the top of the class were fighting one another once more. Their blades were shaking in pain exertion and cold steel. 

Kagami lunged forward to hit Adrien.  
Clank.  
He dropped his guard, he was vulnerable-

No. No, he was prepared. The model dodged halfway and decided to strike for himself. Their shoulders collided, sending Kagami onto the floor.  
Hard.  
A dull clash came from where she landed. She hissed at the sudden emergence of pain and rolled over. At once, she was back on her feet and took her fighting stance. Coal hair fell back into her face, bangs slightly blurring her vision.

“Arrêt!”

The director interfered, gradually approaching Kagami. She was in place, prepared to fight and send Adrien into one out of many many more losses to come. The foot she had landed on was lightly burdened with only a small deal of her body weight. She heavily relied on her unaffected leg to carry her through this.  
Still, she stood tall, slightly bowed. One of her hands was around her handle. The other one was close to her body.

“Kagami, are you okay?”

Adrien rushed over while his friend remained en garde. However, when he pulled his mask off, she had the courtesy to validate his concern and lift hers, too.

“Of course I am! Go back, I want a rematch!”

There was a fire in her words, yet the blonde looked at her, a sceptical look pulling his facial features down. The usually rather sunny and carefree expression was wiped off his face. His mouth opened to say something but Kagami insistently put her foot down. The ambitious student ignored the shocking pain striking her like an unexpected avalanche.  
Their instructor shrugged. By now, he was close enough to see for himself.

“If you can put weight on it without pain, it should be fine. Are you sure you are good to go?”

The girl gave the man a maroon side-glare through her bangs and nodded. Her voice was cool and composed as ever, unusually deep for a girl so pretty, some conservative souls would think.

“Yes.”

Her warm eyes were set on the invisible goal of success on all levels and in all areas. Even if she tried to care about the pain in her ankle, she wouldn’t be able to stop her urge to compete and succeed in life.  
It was too deeply ingrained in her to be perfect and strive for constant improvement. She had the stress to impress.

Adrien looked at her for long enough to doubt his own doubt in her. Kagami’s determination egged him on to step back and get into position. She followed suit, both feet firm on the ground - as if to assure her friend.

“Tell me, if you change your mind, Kagami.”

The director stood before them, examining the scene. His eyes wandered to Kagami and both students lowered their masks to cover their faces.  
It was the silent agreement for another fight.

“En garde.”

They got into position, their movements like mirroring images to one another. The friends were in perfect sync. Kagami was a little slower but it felt like less than a heartbeat.  
It was just the sudden command. Nothing about the foot, he reminded herself.

“Pret.”

Bodies tensed, orbs gazed.

“Arrêt!”

***

Kagami sighed, clutching her sports bag. Marinette was on the other side of the room, watching from the sidelines. Sometimes she was not sure whether her girlfriend was here to support her or Adrien. She did not mind it, yet it stayed in her mind for longer than it should.

Marinette was just an exceptionally positive and supportive friend. She wanted them both to have a good time, to have a successful time!  
No. Actually, she was.. she was not like this. Marinette cared about their well-being and joy more than any competition.

The black-haired girl sat down, kneeling ceremoniously as she cheered for the two. Kagami*s little butterfly was so loud, the director had to silence her.

“You got this Adrien! Kagami - you can do this! Have fun!”

If Marinette was a little less shy about feelings and more affectionate, she would yell out her feelings for these two - for all here friends - at all times.  
Kagami smiled at this thought. It was hidden under her mask but she was. Her eyes glanced over at Marinette and she could swear her girlfriend knew about it judging from how her pale face lit up like a light bulb. Her cyan eyes gleamed like the ocean on a sunny day.  
Looking at Marinette was like looking at holiday pictures. Her face was a landscape to admire.

The instructor yelled the usual commands, his words pushing them into position and straining their muscles when they got ready to lunge at one another and attack.

Marinette’s spark faded, eyes dulling as she saw how Kagami’s was skewed to one side. The secret teenage super-hero lifted herself off her knees.

“Arrêt!”

She walked over to the instructor in terribly slow steps. There was caution on her feet as if she was suffering for her love instead. Her sky-blue orbs focused on the limping.  
Kagami’s foot seemed a bit bigger than usual, too. Maybe that was just her imagination, her worry taking over. There was a dark concern eating at her heart like hungry wolves.

Seeing her little phoenix in anything but her best condition was a stab to her own happiness.

“Excuse me, Monsieur. Can you see Kagami’s foot? I think she might have hurt it. She doesn’t seem to really put a lot of weight on it.”

The man nodded over to her and stepped in, breaking the duelling students apart. Commands in French and other things came from him and the two took a few steps back, putting distance between one another.

“Kagami. Can we see your foot?”

The black-haired girl looked up at the instructor, then at her girlfriend. A sense of confusion veiled her honey-brown eyes like another set of bangs, an invisible one. 

“Of course.”

Voice composed as ever, she slowly bent her legs to lower herself onto the mat. Her movements were measured in grace only. Not even swans were as majestic. When she moved, it reminded Marinette of ballet.  
The girlfriend gingerly squatted down to Kagami’s level while the director knelt down. The fencing student took one of her shoes off and slowly removed the remaining sock. It revealed more than just flawless, milky skin. A large bruise lounged all over her foot, centralised on her ankle. It was colourful, almost in an artistic way. Several shades of blue and purple decorated her pale skin, darkening and tainting her porcelain skin.

Gasps filled the air. Kagami internally flinched at the sounds of disappointment hitting her like actual punches.

“Kagami, this is horrible! Look at your foot!”

Marinette tenderly leaned over to properly examine her girlfriend’s injury. The dark colours were clouds of bruises. Her face was in an empathetic scowl. Kagami felt the indescribable urge to cup her face and tell her it was fine. She knew better, she knew this pain on Mari’s face was a mirror to the pain she tried so hard to not cry about.  
She needed to keep exercising, to move and work more in order to be better. An injured foot could not stop her from establishing a good career as amazing fencer.

“I was aware of this.. I have been icing it for the past few days. Do not worry, it is nothing, Mari.”

Daisy fingers, almost as light as Princess Snow White’s face, wrapped around the ankle, a sock in place. The fabric was pulled over quickly and swiftly. It looked painful.  
Marinette’s face twisted uncomfortably. She seemed sick.

“Kagami, no. This looks really bad, I think you need to take care of this!”

Marinette’s concerned voice piped up. At the same time, the director chirped up.

“I am sorry but I’m unable to let you participate in this state. I suggest you visit the hospital.”

Maroon eyes turned dark as black coffee as the ambitious student looked up at the instructor. Her orbs were reading his words. The instructor gazed back at her, feelings undecipherable.

“This looks like a serious injury and pushing your body any further isn’t going to help. I want you out of here and going to the doctor instead.”

The fateful words donned onto the passionate fencer with a bitterness. She grabbed her shoes and pushed her injured foot into it as if to stuff a pillow in rage. Marinette squeaked, flinching in empathetic pain.

“Fine. If you won’t let me, I will train on my own.”

There was an ice-cold rage in her composed voice.   
Marinette flinched at the tone, flinched at when her girlfriend shot up and dashed out of the room. She quickly thanked the director of the fencing class and rushed after Kagami.  
Icy shivers blew goosebumps all over her body when she followed the fleeing figure. She had never seen her girlfriend this angry.

Hot footsteps echoed through the building as Kagami quickly pushed her things together. Instead of packing up properly, she just strapped herself off the fencing clothes. The mask was first. She threw it from herself as if putting it in the garbage. Her sports bag carried the burden of being a trash container for this deed. Disgust lead her fingers like tainted motives.  
Kagami freed herself from the sweaty prison and pushed everything into the bag. The usual practice of folding and preparing her clothes for the transport was gone but so was her composure.

“Kagami!”

Marinette burst into the locker room, breaking the eerie silence around the lonely Asian. A small blush of embarrassment took over her pale cheeks. They matched the exhausted, tensed look on Kagami’s face.  
She looked at her girlfriend, eyes dark and retreated like a hurt doe. Marinette wanted to wipe all the pain away. 

Slowly, she approached her friend, her partner and sat down opposite her. She gestured for Kagami to take a seat too. After a small moment of hesitation, she followed her girlfriend’s example and lowered herself onto the bench.   
She sighed. Marinette tried to initiate eye contact but Kagami’s face was averted. It stayed this way, even when Marinette’s piercing blue eyes were veiled in worry.  
Concern distorted her usually so gentle features. Kagami could not help but feel her heart being shredded into tiny pieces of twitching meat. Seeing her girlfriend hurt, feeling the whole world crush down onto her. It was a weird mix of annoyance, hurt - physical and mental - as much as pure rage.

She needed t keep exercising!

Between all these thoughts and screaming pressure, a calming voice lowered onto the fire inside of her. The helpless student almost breathed freely when she heard Marinette speak up.

“Kagami, I - I am sorry to burst in and be so pressing about this. I really care about you and I see your foot in terrible condition. When I come to see my girlfriend fight and cheer for you, I want to know you are alright.”

The tension fell from her face, giving way to the softness akin to the velvet-y warmth in her voice when she continued to speak.  
Kagami’s eyes widened a little and her bangs-covered face slowly turned to face her girlfriend. She was at least looking into her vague direction by now.

A slight smile appeared on Marinette’s face.

“I just got worried because you are my girlfriend. You mean so much to me and I know fencing means so much to you. I want to make sure you are in excellent condition, so you don’t have to suffer or sit out on one of your favourite hobbies.”

Kagami looked up, caramel eyes blooming in wonder as she saw the genuine agony in Marinette’s facial features. She could see wrinkles of concern, of worry and regret fighting little dents into Marinette’s usually so perfect face.  
It did things to Kagami’s chest to see the other so conflicted and hurt over her decisions.

She extended a hand.

“If you car- can... would you come to the doctor with me? I really don’t think it is such a big deal but I see you are worried and I trust your judgement. I am sorry -”

Kagami brushed through her bangs, a velvet smile adorning her features. Marinette slowly took the hand and squeezed it.

“I will always be with you, as much as I can. I am sorry for being so pushy. I am just really worried.”

Marinette grinned at her.  
It was one of these grins that looked a bit less like a smile but was somewhat between a beam and an embarrassed giggle. She really was about to just chuckle it away but Kagami tugged her over by their connected hands. When Marinette leaned over the bench, Kagami shot forward and sealed that pretty mouth with a little peck to it.

“Let’s go to this doctor before I change my mind. Again, I am doing this for you.”

Her girlfriend cheered, heat and love on her lips when she leaned in to peck her cheek.

“I am fine as long as you are okay! I just want to know I care about you.”

Her lips curled into another delicious smile, teeth flashing like porcelain and shining bright as the rest of her face. Kagami could not help but smile back at her. No matter her conflict and the voice screaming at her to keep exercising and keep fighting, she felt more love for her girlfriend than annoyance over this ordeal.

“W-well.. I care about you too.”

Kagami cuddled up to her girlfriend who softly ducked down to lay one of Kagami’s arms around her. A little tug and she had the passionate fencer leaning onto her a bit. Their bodies were closely touching.

As much as she wanted to go back to practising or complain about losing time by going to the doctor, she was more than glad to be with Marinette in this moment of potential need. She had someone to care about her, to really bond with her.  
The warmth of love overshadowed the burning annoyance in her heart. Needless to say, she was not not-annoyed. She just cared more for Marinette than fencing at this moment.

“Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Marinette got them a cab and brought them to the closest casualty doctor. It took almost two hours and more than enough stressing over formulas and other things for Kagami to finally have a doctor check her up.

Anxiously, Marinette was waiting outside. She seemed to talk to herself, mumbling something about encouraging words and other nice things. It seemed to straighten her posture and ease her shoulders, so the approaching doctor did not say anything until the student swiftly turned around, surprising the two.

“I can do- OH! Hello, doctor.”

One of her hands found the back of her neck instinctively and scratched it while the doctor clicked her clipboard. She could have sworn she had seen something read just now. Well, maybe it was just the hair ties in the girl’s dark strands.

“Hello. You are with Kagami, right?”

She jumped into position, seriousness shooting a straightness into her posture as if she was trying to impress the military with salutes.

“Yes, yes I am. She is alright, isn’t she? Please tell me her foot is okay! It won’t have to be cut off, will it? Oh no, you do-”

As soon as she talked, terrifying ideas and suggestions left her mouth without her consent. She could barely stop the flow of words until the doctor chuckled and waved her clipboard gingerly.  
She seemed to fan the horrible scenarios and thoughts out of Marinette’s head. Silenced, she looked at the woman with a polite smile. Her mouth was closed and her attention span was opened.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry. Your friend is going to be fine. I just came over so I could tell you we will give her an x-ray scan. Her foot seems injured but we need to make sure whether it was a fracture. It might very well be. She will definitely need crutches. I am glad you brought her over. She said she would not have come without you insisting on it. You did a good thing, there.”

A smile spread all over Marinette’s face.

“Thank you doctor! Thank you for helping my girlfriend! I am glad to know I did the right thing and that you are doing so much to take care of her.”

“You are welcome!”

The student settled onto her seat once more. The friendly white coat disappeared with clipboard, pen and clacking sounds to her steps. They seemed to echo distantly through the wide, white hallways when Marinette emerged into her little dream world of thoughts once more.

“Kagami will be alright.. “

She smiled.

Time seemed to move forward from then on. Before, the minutes had dragged but now time was rushing, was fleeing the present and abandoned it to become the past after every beat of the heart.

“Are you Marinette? Kagami will be out in a moment. You two can get ready to go.”

A nurse popped in, smiling kindly. Marinette waved at him, her face beaming like the sun herself.

“Thank you, Monsieur!”

The nurse disappeared and Marinette got up to greet Kagami who walked in on crutches. She sighed upon seeing Marinette, mild annoyance painting her face.  
Maybe it was pain? Knowing Kagami, she was probably upset about how crutches kept her from fencing. Not that she would not try.

Marinette would have to keep an eye on that

“Oh, hey. How is your leg?”

Crutches scratched over the cool, tiled floor.  
Marinette looked at her girlfriend, hope in her eyes. She really wanted it to be something the other could get over with as soon as possible.

“My leg is fine. I am fine. It is just a small fracture. Can we go?”

Her girlfriend smiled at Kagami and nodded, cheerful as always.

“One more thing!”

She held up her index finger as if to give a lecture. She looked like a teacher with this presentation of herself. Glasses would have made the perfect cliché teacher.  
Slowly, she took a few steps to approach her girlfriend.

“I missed you.”

She leaned in, this time. Their soft lips meeting for a moment just enough to let hearts melt and worlds disappear. Kagami’s whole life seemed to be cradled close when Marinette touched her like that.  
When the artistic student stepped away, Kagami was sort of just staring at her, eyes frozen.

“I am glad you are okay, my little phoenix. But now it is time for you to be protected, too.”

Marinette gently took the sports bag from her friend and dangled it over her shoulder before rushing to open the first door on their way out. She held it open, spreading the door wide enough to let the whole world see what was inside. It felt as if she was presenting her girlfriend to the world, introducing her like the gem she was.  
All proud and excited.

“Come with me?”

The inviting smile on Marinette’s ever-shining features lured a content smile out of Kagami. Eventually, she put the crutches down onto the ground and started making her way over to her lovely companion.

“i will always be with you, injured or not.”

The two giggled, foreheads meeting when they leaned in once more. They shared another short kiss, a peck, really. Together, they moved home to accommodate Kagami at Marinette’s place.   
Right now, Marinette was - more than ever - glad about summer break. Her parents were busy working but she had time to treat her partner and make sure she is okay. From what the doctors had mentioned, Kagami was supposed to stay in her lower-leg cast for about two months. They said that she had tortured her foot so much, she could have severely complicated the fracture and ended her fencing career. If she had pushed it just a bit further, maybe she would be without fencing forever.

The two had discussed all information and decided for a sleepover. They needed each other’s support and comfort in order to digest all these things. To think of Kagami without fencing was too scary for any of the to consider.  
But once at home, they got comfortable. Kagami was cuddled up in Marinette’s bed, foot prodded up on a pillow and blanket covering her body to keep the unmoving figure warm and cozy. Marinette stumbled upstairs, a tray of tasty treats in her hands.

“I brought you a little something!”

She quickly moved over and set the tray down between the two. The artistic one herself placed her body on the bed, close to Kagami.

“Thank you very much. This is a ..lot of sugar. Do we only have sweets?”

Marinette smiled.

“I texted my parents about what happened, and my mom said she will make you soup. I will get it when it is done. They said it is okay if we eat upstairs, so you don’t have to walk too much. Are your parents okay with you staying for a few nights at my place?”

Kagami nodded, her hair falling into her face a bit. Marinette leaned in to kiss her temples and brush some her bangs away.

“Are your pain killers working?”

Another nod came from Kagami.  
Another smile appeared on Marinette’s cheerful face.

“We can do a lot of funny things, if you want to. How about watching a film?”

Kagami smiled.

“I never really do that... I mean, I don’t usually just sit down to watch movies, especially not with others.”

Marinette leaned her head against Kagami’s and sighed. Their bodies rested against one another and Kagami allowed herself to slouch just a bit.The tension fell from her body but Marinette stayed in place and kept her up.

“I know you care a lot about fencing but you need to make more space for your social life. For friends or.. for me. If you never allow yourself to do other things and enjoy anything but fencing, you will be really upset and bored in situations like now. Make time for the people who care about you like you care about fencing classes, little knight. It’s good to self-care a bit and just”, she took a deep breath as if to demonstrate what she was about to say, “let yourself breathe. If you never regain your strength, you will tire yourself out, my phoenix.”

The sportive youth sighed in return and softly nodded her head. Marinette could feel her move. They were oddly connected by just sitting so close to one another.  
It blossomed a warm feeling in her chest.

“It is hard to change habits.. I am not used to having friends, having a - a partner. I am new to all of this. I hope I’m not letting you down - or the others. Am I?”

She looked over at Marinette who shook her head. Instead, her girlfriend leaned in to grace the top of her head with the faintest of kisses. A pink blush adorned her cheeks. The sweet scent wafted over to her, lulling her into the saccharine bubble of a stress-free time.

“You are good. We are proud of you.”

Kagami sighed, probably in relief.

“I am glad you are introducing so much change into my life. I would have never imagined living in Paris with multiple friends, even a girlfriend. I will try to watch this film with you”, she started, then paused, “I can try to make a change, now.”

“Hooray!”, Marinette cheered. One of her hands reached up over her head and she jumped up to get her laptop. She had the best film in mind already. She has heard so much about “La vie d’Adèle” and was excited to watch it with Kagami.  
It was supposed to be romantic.

“What are we watching, butterfly?”

Marinette’s face flushed as she picked out the film but instead of playing it, she moved to close the other side of her bed. Her body rose and she walked over to her desk to pick up a pen. With a “clack”, she removed the cap.  
Her eyebrows formed into a mischievous position, accompanied with a sly grin.

“I forgot to sign your cast! Time to change this, little knight.~”

An excited skip was in her voice. Her words were metaphorically dancing and jumping in excitement.  
In contrast to that, she carefully knelt before the bed and started writing and drawing over the cast. All the while, Kagami tried to sneak a peek at the activity but she did not see anything. Marinette was covering her actions with her back, shielding the words from her view.

“What are you writing, Mari?”

A smile graced her lips. Gradually, she moved off the foot and revealed the writing to her girlfriend. She quickly leaned forward to see it. Squinting, she looked at her girlfriend in confusion. The cast had her immobile enough to not see the navy blue writing enough to decipher it. Marinette snapped a photo and handed her phone to Kagami to read. Caramel eyes widened as she saw the picture. Her eyes watered a little and she swiftly put away the phone in favour of tugging Marinette over for a tight hug.

“Mari, how are you so sweet - what did I ever do to deserve someone as good as you, my dear butterfly?”

The addressed student emitted a lovely giggle. She held her girlfriend close and comforted her with open arms and gentle brushes over her bed.

“You do because you are a great person. You are lovely”, she answered, slowly pressing a kiss to the top of her head,” and kind.”

She leaned in, lowering her body before carefully kissing her eyes which fluttered shut at once. When Marinette pulled away, Kagami opened her eyes to view the preciousness of her love.

“You are head-strong and care about fairness and justice”, Marinette peppered a few more kisses over Kagami’s face. She was shaking and a few tears escaped her eyes but the artist easily kissed them away, making them all disappear.  
“Kagami, I would never date a person I don’t consider to be great. You are precious to me, my dear phoenix. It is rare to find a person as principled and disciplined. You are an amazing friend. We are all glad to have you.”

She sighed, inhaling the sweet scent of Kagami’s hair. Sure, she was a bit sweaty from training and the whole odyssey of coming here but her hair smelled of almonds and early spring flowers in a wild garden.

“I am so glad to have met you in my life.”

Marinette leaned in, slowly closing the gap between their noses, their mouths and faces. Their lips collided and embraced one another like the lovers they were. Pink shades melted into one, forming a heart that was their love.  
When they pulled away, they only saw the warmth in each other’s eyes. Azure orbs gazed upon syrup brown ones.  
If eyes could smile, they would beam at each other only. 

“Let’s watch this film, Mari. My little butterfly.”

Marinette quickly moved over and cuddled up under the blanket, one hand pulling the laptop in place and the other intertwined with Kagami’s hand. She squeezed it a bit and both smiled for one another as Marinette started the hand-picked film.

The artist reached for the macarons and offered it to Kagami. She nodded and opened her mouth when Marinette rose her fingers to level with Kagami’s head. Kagami accepted the little treat with a flushed face. She reached for a pink macaron and did as her girlfriend, gently approaching her mouth with the little delicacy.   
The little butterfly split her lips and allowed the treat in.

“They are really sweet.”

Marinette nodded.

“Not as sweet as you, though.”

The sun started to go down. Ruby rays streamed through the windows, bathing the two in the warm lights of the loving sun. The sky over Paris was never as rosy as now.  
Between them, the phone display illuminated the growing darkness. “Love your imperfections, my phoenix.” A small butterfly kissed the words written over the lower-leg cast.


End file.
